Tag: oscars

Oscar Predictions: Warfare

A year after Civil War, Alex Garland is back with his follow-up Warfare on April 11th. This time he’s co-directing with Ray Mendoza, an Iraq War Navy SEAL recounting his own experiences in that theater. The cast includes D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (as Mendoza), Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Kit Connor, Finn Bennett, Taylor John Smith, Michael Gandolfini, Joseph Quinn, and Charles Melton.

At just over 90 minutes, Warfare is particularly being lauded for its technical achievements. The Rotten Tomatoes score is at 94% with a 78 Metacritic. I don’t see this as a Best Picture play. Some thought Civil War could sneak in last year though its momentum never truly materialized.

Where this could contend is Best Sound as reviews continuously praise that aspect. Warfare could join other 21st century genre titles like The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty, Lone Survivor, American Sniper, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Hacksaw Ridge, Dunkirk, 1917, and All Quiet on the Western Front in the auditory field. It’s early in the game, but don’t be surprised if it does (though it’s worth noting Civil War didn’t make that cut). My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Holland

Mimi Cave’s Holland premiered at South by Southwest earlier this month as it readies an Amazon Prime drop on March 27th. The tireless Nicole Kidman headlines the Midwestern set thriller (the title refers to the city in Michigan) with Gael Garcia Bernal, Matthew Macfadyen, Jude Hill, and Rachel Sennott in support.

Kidman’s previous project Babygirl did generate awards buzz, but she ended up missing out on a sixth Oscar nod. Holland is drawing plenty of negative notices with 36% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 45 Metacritic. Said to be the opposite of a crowd pleaser, don’t expect this to be on the Academy’s radar. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Snow White

Snow White is the latest Disney live-action retelling of an animated classic and this time it’s for their first feature-length picture from 1937. Nearly 90 years later, Marc Webb directs the musical fantasy with Andrew Burnap, Ansu Kabia, Hadley Fraser, and Lorena Andrea in the supporting cast.

None of these remakes have broken through in top of the line categories. Plenty have received nominations and wins in Costume Design (Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Mulan, Cruella), Makeup and Hairstyling (Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Cruella), Production Design (Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast), and Visual Effects (Alice in Wonderland, The Jungle Book, The Lion King, Mulan).

So will Snow White join that list of nominees or get blanked like Dumbo, Aladdin, and The Little Mermaid did? Reviews aren’t great with 48% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 47 Metacritic. Zegler, it should be said, is getting lots of praise and I wouldn’t totally discount an Actress nod in Musical/Comedy at the Golden Globes.

As for the Oscars, Zegler’s song “Waiting on a Wish” could contend in Original Song. Of the aforementioned races where other Mouse House properties have made cut, Costume Design could happen. Visual Effects, on the other hand, is drawing some complaints so I don’t foresee that as a possibility. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: The Alto Knights

Robert De Niro plays the dual roles of real-life Mafiosos Vito Genovese and Frank Costello in The Alto Knights, premiering this weekend. The crime drama reunites the star with Barry Levinson, who directed him in Sleepers, Wag the Dog, and The Wizard of Lies. Costars include Debra Messing, Cosmo Jarvis, Kathrine Narducci, and Michael Rispoli.

Critics are not singing Alto‘s praises. The Rotten Tomatoes score is 39% with Metacritic at 47. The March release date should’ve been a tipoff that De Niro won’t be receiving his ninth (or tenth) acting nominations. Same goes for any other categories. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: On Swift Horses

Daniel Minahan is primarily known for his TV directorial work on Deadwood, Games of Thrones, and House of Cards. His efforts move to the big screen on April 25th with On Swift Horses. The period piece romantic drama stars Daisy Edgar-Jones of Where the Crawdads Sing fame and Saltburn‘s Jacob Elordi. Supporting players include Will Poulter, Diego Calva, and Sasha Calle.

Horses was first seen at the Toronto Film Festival last fall with Sony Pictures Classics snatching up distribution rights. There’s praise for the leads, production design, and cinematography. Yet the 67% Rotten Tomatoes meter and nearly identical 68 on Metacritic indicates the mixed reaction. Considering that coupled with the spring release date, don’t expect this to win, place, or show on the 2025 awards calendar. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: The Actor

A decade after co-directing the acclaimed stop-motion drama Anomalisa with Charlie Kaufman, Duke Johnson’s follow-up is The Actor (out tomorrow). Based on a 2010 novel from Donald E. Westlake, André Holland is the titular NYC performer stuck in Ohio with amnesia. The 1950s set Neon release costars Gemma Chan, May Calamawy, Asim Chaudhry, Joe Cole, Fabien Frankel, Toby Jones, and Tracey Ullman.

Once seen as a potential awards contender for 2024, The Actor is being unceremoniously put out in mid-March with little fanfare. The Rotten Tomatoes meter is at 87%, but Metacritic’s 63 illustrates the more divided nature of reviews. A once over of critical reaction indicates this is unlikely to be remembered by the Academy next year. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Death of a Unicorn

A24’s Death of a Unicorn has screened at South by Southwest prior to its March 28th theatrical premiere. The horror comedy from Alex Scharfman stars Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega as a father-daughter who accidentally cause the title of the film to occur. This displeases another unicorn. The supporting cast includes Will Poulter, Téa Leoni, Richard E. Grant, and Anthony Carrigan.

Early reviews are complimentary mixed with so-so notices. The Rotten Tomatoes score is 70% with Metacritic at 60. Unicorn represents the latest feature in a growing eat the rich sub genre that includes Triangle of Sadness, The Menu, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, and Saltburn. Some of those titles received awards attention. Don’t expect Death to. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Novocaine

Jack Quaid is the unconventional titular character who feels no pain in Novocaine next weekend. The action comedy comes from directors Dan Berk and Robert Olsen with Amber Midthunder, Ray Nicholson, Jacob Batalon, Betty Gabriel, and Matt Walsh in the supporting cast.

Critics are mostly satisfied with what they’re seeing. The Rotten Tomatoes score is 89% with Metacritic at a more telling 68. This is not a feature made for the Academy’s microscope, but it’s worth entertaining whether Quaid could play at the Golden Globes in Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy (similar to Ryan Reynolds from Deadpool).

My guess is that Novocaine will not be on that awards body’s radar either several months down the line. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: The Electric State

What does an astronomical $320 million budget get you in Hollywood these days? Apparently a mid-March Netflix release and a heap of critical derision. Meet The Electric State, a comedic sci-fi adventure hitting the streamer March 14th from Anthony and Joe Russo of Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame fame. The human cast for the ultra expensive flick includes Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Ke Huy Quan, Stanley Tucci, Woody Norman, Giancarlo Esposito, and Jason Alexander. An equally impressive voice cast includes Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Alan Tudyk, Hank Azaria, Colman Domingo, and Rob Gronkowski.

It is worth noting that the Russo’s follow-ups to the Avengers juggernauts are the unimpressively reviewed Cherry and The Gray Man. Yet this appears to be receiving the worst of it with 23% on Rotten Tomatoes and 30 on Metacritic. The term “wasted potential” pops up more than once. Only the visual effects would be a possibility for awards attention and the Electric buzz might sink that. This has much more viability at the Razzies than with the Academy. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…

Oscar Predictions: Black Bag

Arriving just weeks after his well-reviewed haunted house flick Presence, the prolific Steven Soderbergh helms the spy thriller Black Bag. Out March 14th, David Koepp handles screenplay duties (he also scripted Presence) with eight-time nominee and two-time Academy winner Cate Blanchett and two-time nominee Michael Fassbender starring. The supporting cast includes Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, and Pierce Brosnan.

Critics are digging what they’re finding in Bag. The Rotten Tomatoes score is 95% with Metacritic at 86. Blanchett, Fassbender, and Brosnan (in what’s said to be a small but memorable role) are getting kudos as are the screenplay and cinematography.

That said, Bag probably isn’t an awards play for Focus Features despite the impressive reviews thus far. My Oscar Prediction posts will continue…